Anti-Semitic slurs on New Zealand billboards

SYDNEY  Campaign billboards in New Zealand were defaced with anti-Semitic slurs about Prime Minister John Key, the son of a Jewish refugee from Europe.

Ahead of the election on Sept. 20, several billboards were daubed last week, the local media reported. One billboard was scrawled with the words Lying Jew c***sucker and defaced the image of Key with a black hat and sidelocks.

Key, the leader of the conservative National Party, is seeking a third term in office.

I just find it disappointing for the Jewish community, Key, who acknowledges his Jewish ancestry but is not a practicing Jew, told local media.

I have a Jewish past, which is extremely well known. My mother was Jewish, and some of my mothers family went to the concentration camps. But for the Jewish community in New Zealand, they are hard-working, decent people and they dont deserve to be brought into some sort of personal campaign thats directed at me.

Stephen Goodman, the president of the New Zealand Jewish Council  a body representing the countrys 7,000 Jews  was quoted by the J-Wire local Jewish blog as saying: The New Zealand Jewish community is concerned about the rise in anti-Semitic acts and statements being made at present.

He also said: Recent activity, such as the defacing of John Keys billboards and actions associated with political rallies, is unacceptable.

The incident comes days after Steve Gibson, a candidate for the opposition Labor Party, apologized for posting a message on Facebook describing Key as Shonky Jonkey Shylock . . . nasty little creep with a nasty evil and vindictive sneer.

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